Talks revelation makes West Ham star’s January exit more likely

Is France midfielder on his way out of London?

West Ham may have survived a summer of intense interest in their prize asset, but latest reports suggesting the player himself was keen to secure a move away, bring renewed doubt over his future in east London.

According to footy website Squawka, Dimitri Payet angled for talks with Champions League big guns Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the aftermath of the Euros, although the Hammers understandably kyboshed the proposal.

Having starred for France at Euro 2016 so soon after a dazzling debut season for West Ham, the 29-year-old suddenly became one of the most coveted players in world football.

Staying with the club who gave him the platform to sparkle on the biggest stage in France seemed like the decent thing to do, but in the context of the latest revelations it’s easy to imagine the midfield maestro agitating again come January.

Slaven Bilic’s charges have begun 2016/17 in terrible fashion. Firstly they were wiped off this season’s Europa League map by Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu in the qualifying stage and their Premier League campaign has also gone pear shaped since.

They sit 16th after five games, having lost four, while shipping goals at an alarming rate. If they continue to flounder as Christmas approaches the soles of Payet’s feet may begin to itch once more.

Approaching 30, the former Marseille man may well believe he’s running out of chances to turn out for one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

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Give Christian a sport with anything remotely spherical in it and he’ll happily while away the hours watching it on the box. However, he’d much prefer writing about, playing or betting on golf, football, cricket, tennis, snooker.... you get the picture.